Yup, this is seperation anxiety. The good news is that it is very common with shelter dogs and most can be trained fairly easy. The bad news is it takes a bit of time and patience.
Here are some hints that worked with my shelter babies:
- Make your arrivals and departures low key. Ignore her 15 minutes before you leave and 15 minutes after you get home. This takes the anxiety and stress away.
- Be aloof with her for a couple weeks. Don't carry her around constantly and baby her. Try to get her to be a little more independent. Make alone time fun. Give her a good "busy" treat like a stuffed kong that she can only have while she's alone (either baby gated in the kitchen or in a crate). Be sure to only give her the great treats when she's alone and not when she's with you.
- Spend a day going in and out doors. Start out by going out for just a second at a time, then come back in. Gradually increase your time to a minute, then a few minutes, etc. If she whines, do not go back in the door until she is quiet. If you go in while she's whining, you will be rewarding her for whining and she think she can just whine whenever she wants you to come running.
Alyson
Shiloh, Reece, Lolly, Skylar
and fosters Snickers, Missy, Magic, Merlin, Maya
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